Real Estate Deal Worth $240 Million Allegedly Sabotaged by Shohei Ohtani's Agent
In a surprising turn of events, baseball star Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nex Balelo, are facing a lawsuit from developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto. The lawsuit, filed in Hawaii Circuit Court on August 8, alleges that the duo used their celebrity influence to demand concessions and ultimately led to the dismissal of Hayes and Matsumoto from a $240 million luxury housing project called The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort on Hawaii's Hapuna Coast.
The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort is a prestigious community with 14 homes, each averaging $17.3 million. The project, which took 11 years to develop, aimed to attract high-end buyers, especially from Japan, with Ohtani as the celebrity spokesperson and first resident. Ohtani had planned to purchase a home and build a training facility at the resort.
However, shortly after joining the project, Ohtani's agent, Balelo, is said to have pressured for business concessions and asked Kingsbarn Realty Capital, the project's partner, to remove Hayes and Matsumoto. Kingsbarn complied, reportedly to appease Balelo, leading to the plaintiffs' dismissal in what they call a "coordinated ambush."
The lawsuit alleges tortious interference and unjust enrichment by Ohtani and Balelo, claiming they destabilized the project partners to serve their own financial interests. The suit also alleges that the duo attempted to undermine the interest of Hayes and Matsumoto in a neighboring venture.
As of August 2025, the case is ongoing. Ohtani and Balelo's representatives have not publicly commented, and Kingsbarn did not immediately respond. The development, The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, still has investment materials online.
Ohtani, a resident of California, had intended to spend significant time at The Vista in the off-season and construct a small hitting and pitching facility for preseason training. The lawsuit claims this case is about abuse of power.
The housing development, located on Hawaii's Hapuna Coast, was also listed as part of the management team in the materials, along with Kingsbarn out of Vegas, Matsumoto, and Hayes.
This lawsuit challenges the conduct of Ohtani and his agent in using their star power in real estate to influence business arrangements to the detriment of original project partners. The case is ongoing in Hawaii Circuit Court.
- Shohei Ohtani's agent, Nex Balelo, is alleged to have pressured Kingsbarn Realty Capital for business concessions regarding The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, a luxury housing project in Hawaii.
- The lawsuit filed against Ohtani and Balelo claims they interfered tortiously and unjustly enriched themselves, destabilizing project partners to serve their financial interests.
- The housing development, The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, was managed by a team that included Kingsbarn from Vegas, Matsumoto, Hayes, and Ohtani himself, who intended to purchase a home there and build a training facility.
- The controversy surrounding Ohtani and Balelo's conduct in representing their interests in real-estate deals, exploiting their celebrity status, could have far-reaching implications in sports-betting and finance circles, given MLB's association with various gambling and investment ventures.
